Calibrachoa plant named ‘Docaltitogra’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Docaltitogra’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, trailing and decumbent plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large flowers with purple-colored petals with dark purplish red-colored centers and venation and bright yellow-colored throats and central star; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa parviflora.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOCALTITOGRA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Calibrachoa Plant Named ‘DOCALTITOR50’

Inventor: Arjan Koot

Applicant: Dümmen Group B.V.

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa parviflora andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Docaltitogra’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely branching and early-floweringCalibrachoa plants with numerous large and attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2019 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa parviflora identified as code numberAA17-089063-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa parviflora identified as codenumber AA17-088072-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor asa single flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg,Germany in May, 2020.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince June, 2020 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Docaltitogra’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Docaltitogra’ as a new and distinctCalibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, trailing and decumbent plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large flowers with purple-colored petals with dark purplish        red-colored centers and venation and bright yellow-colored        throats and central star.    -   6. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of thenew Calibrachoa are purple in color whereas flowers of plants of thefemale parent selection are pink in color.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of thenew Calibrachoa are purple in color whereas flowers of plants of themale parent selection are pink in color.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoa parviflora‘Docaltitor50’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.17/283,003, filed concurrently. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differprimarily from plants of ‘Docaltitor50’ in flower color as flowers ofplants of the new Calibrachoa are purple in color whereas flowers ofplants of ‘Docaltitor50’ are purplish red in color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa sp. ‘KLECA16371’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,419.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differprimarily from plants of ‘KLECA16371’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are slightly taller than plants        of ‘KLECA16371’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger leaves than plants        of ‘KLECA16371’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of ‘KLECA16371’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have longer sepals than plants        of ‘KLECA16371’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Calibrachoa plant. The photograph is a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Docaltitogra’ grown ina container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production.During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants werepinched one time three weeks after planting. Plants were twelve weeksold when the photograph was taken and 25 weeks old when the descriptionwas taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, 2007,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa parviflora ‘Docaltitogra’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa parviflora identified as code number            AA17-089063-001, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa parviflora identified as code number            AA17-088072-001, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 158A in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading to trailing and            decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit with about            seven primary lateral branches each with about six secondary            lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances            branching; dense and full appearance; vigorous growth habit            and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 21            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22            cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread of plant).—About 68 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 33 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing            and decumbent.        -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 148C.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 148A; at the internodes, close to            144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, and after            flowering, opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 9.5 mm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;            matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137B; venation, close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 436 flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers face            mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about six            weeks after planting; plants flower continuously from the            spring throughout the summer in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Texture and luster: Rippled;            semi-glossy. Color: Close to N81B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm by 4.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 6.8 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 2.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:            Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to N80A; towards            the throat, close to N79A. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: Close to N81C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 77B; towards the throat, close to N79A; venation,            close to N79A; with development, colors becoming closer to            N80C and towards the throat, close to N79A. Petal, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 77C; venation, close to            N79A; color becoming closer to 76A with development. Throat:            Close to 12A; star, close to 12A; venation, close to 12A and            N79A. Tube: Close to 12B; venation, close to N79A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.5 cm. Sepal            width: About 3 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Color: When            developing, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. Fully            developed, upper surface: Close to 138C. Fully developed,            lower surface: Close to 138A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to N144D.            Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther            color: Close to 12B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 12C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 9 mm. Style color:            Close to 144C. Stigma diameter: About 0.7 mm. Stigma shape:            Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to N144C. Ovary color:            Close to N144C. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About            190 per plant. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3.6 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N200C. Seeds:            Quantity per flower: About 28. Length: About 1 mm. Diameter:            About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            N200A.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain,    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa    have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common    to Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named‘Docaltitogra’ as illustrated and described.